Transpiration

Discussion

Transpiration is the evaporation of water from plants; the cooling effect of

transpiration is only beneficial to plants when environmental temperatures are
high, the rate of transpiration can be measure with the use of an apparatus
known as a potometer, it measures the rate of water uptake of the pant sample,
which then calculations are needed to be done to calculate the actual rate of
transpiration. Usually there are conditions which increase the rate of
transpiration, during the day plants tend to transpire more than the take up of
water and at night may take up more water than they transpire.

In this experiment there were a total of 8 plants, 2 of each were placed in

different conditions; a windy area, no wind area, direct light and no light. In each
of these conditions they have transpired at different rates with the exception of
the 2 in the no light area. It is known that light simulates the stomata on plants
to open to allow gaseous exchange for photosynthesis and as a side effect this
also increases transpiration, according to the graph, the plants that were in the
condition where there was no light, showed no sign of transpiration, the volume
of water in the photometer for this sample did not decreased, this can be
explained by the absence of light since light stimulates the stomata to open
which then leads to transpiration, the condition for this to occur wasnt present
thus resulting to a transpiration rate of 0. The samples that were placed in the
condition opposite of the sample that was placed in no light; which were in the
presence of light showed higher rates of transpiration than the other samples in
the experiment which was . These samples had full exposure of light available for
them; the reason for the high rate of transpiration can be explained by the light
concept and the effect on the stomata,

For the next alternative conditions in which the other samples were exposed i.e.
of wind and no wind. The sample exposed to wind showed a moderate rate of
transpiration but is was less than that of the sample exposed to no wind. It is
known that Wind blows away saturated air from around the stomata and
replacing it with drier air, thus increasing the water potential gradient between
the leaf and the air surrounding it which would have led to an increase in
transpiration however this wasnt the case because the plant exposed to no wind
proved to have transpired more than the other,this can be explained by the
sample that was in the no wind condition was actually in a cupboard with no
ventilation, thus it was assumed that the temperature was higher in there than
that of the sample in the windy condition this factor could have result in an
increase in transpiration because Temperature also contributes to increased
transpiration rates ,an increase of temperature increases the rate of evaporation
and reduces air humidity, so transpiration is increased as well.

. this is the reason why the sample exposed to wind suffered a higher rate of
transpiration the sample exposed to no wind.